A Skipper's Oath: 5 Stars

Author: P. Wesley Lundburg
Length: 430 pgs.

I signed up to read this book for free in exchange for a review as part of my Freebie Chicks’ featured Author of the Month. I asked to read this after seeing the blurb for the book. It sounded like a great thriller and reminded me somewhat of that Meryl Streep movie River Wild, where a family out for an innocent day on their boat are taken hostage by criminals, finding themselves completely isolated from society and at the mercy of a few psychos.

That’s not to say this book is anything like River Wild, but I’m glad I signed up for a copy because I ended up LOVING IT. The author hooks us from the very beginning, throwing us for a loop as we think we’re reading from the perspective of the main character at first (at least I did, since I didn’t take note of the main character’s name too closely before diving into the book, apparently). Tragic circumstances ensue, and we realize we haven’t even met our protagonist yet, we’re just learning to hate the bad guys he will eventually be going after.

The first thing I noticed and one of the most notable things about the book is the amazing setting in which it takes place. Apparently the author resided in Alaska for over 17 years and ran a fishing boat charter, but I didn’t need to know that to understand that this book is written by someone who’s been where he’s describing. Thanks to the succinctly elegant prose you can almost see Alaska, can almost smell the water and feel the spray of it against your face as you speed through the water with Frank Mattituck on his boat. The author’s love for the place lives in Mattituck’s thoughts and words, and makes me want to add “retire on boat in Alaska” to my bucket list. And that’s another thing – I know absolutely nothing about fishing or boating, but for these characters it’s pretty much a way of life so there’s no avoiding the terminology. Fortunately Lundburg has a way of explaining things in certain terms without treating his readers like idiots. Even I knew what was going on, though I couldn’t tell starboard from portside-or whatever it is-if my life depended on it (though I now apparently must learn all of this before my retirement). Alaska isn’t just the setting where this book occurs, it’s a living breathing character in itself.

The second thing I noticed is how terrifying the antagonists in the book are. There are two of them, and we’re not sure if they’re running to or from something at first, but they seem immeasurably wreckless and kill without warning or sense. We witness their disregard for human life within the first few pages. This isn’t just a case of catch-the-bad-guy(s), it’s can they catch the bad guy? And how are they going to do that?? Once Frank finds himself in the killers’ line of sight and must desperately seek shelter on an uninhabited island, things become even more dangerous.

The murder of a close friend sets off a series of events that leads to Frank being deputized and partnering up with his acquaintance Todd, who is a State Trooper. Their budding partnership was one of my favorite parts of the book. Something else the author seems to excel at is character building, and I grew to really like Frank and Todd for different reasons. I wanted to be on the boat with them, drinking coffee and plotting our next move.

The plot itself is well thought-out and perfectly executed. I was on the edge of my seat, not sure if my favorite characters were going to be sacrificed by the author or if they would be spared. Like Todd says at one point (I’m paraphrasing), if you follow one thread long enough everything will eventually unravel, and tagging along as he and Frank uncovered more and more information about their two suspects and their purpose was fascinating.

I love a good thriller, and this did not disappoint. Not only did we get a great story, but a beautiful and tangible setting to accompany it, along with smartly crafted characters from all walks of life. I truly enjoyed this and am giving it five stars for captivating me and keeping me turning the pages in an unsettling combination of anticipation and dread. I didn’t know ahead of reading this that there was a second book but I will definitely be picking it up!!